The Tragedy of Edith and Patrick Crawley
by dscholder6
Summary: "Mrs. Hughes said she went after the other heir, Mr. Patrick Crawley." "That was different. She was in love with him."
1. Chapter 1

We all know how it ends, but how did it begin? **Disclaimer**: I own nothing except maybe the governess.

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><p>"Well, I daresay it was. How did you think the trip was, Patrick?" was what seven year old Edith Crawley heard her Father say as she entered the library. Not surprisingly, her cousins James and Patrick were in the library as well. She hadn't seen either of them for about a year; they had been in India for some odd reason.<p>

"It was fun!" seven-year-old Patrick Crawley exclaimed. "We got to ride an elephant!"

"Did you now?" Lord Grantham said, smiling at the boy.

He nodded before catching sight of Edith. "Hi, Cousin Edith!" He ran up to her and hugged her. Patrick was the kind to hug everyone.

Edith smiled. "You've been away too long. No one will play with me. Mary is so disagreeable and Sybil is still only a baby."

"We should play something now," Edith nodded before Patrick continued. "Why don't we pretend we're great elephant tamers in the jungles of India?"

"How do you do that?"

"It's easy. All we need is to catch elephants and make them do things." His eyes lit up. "And I know the perfect elephants to use! Come on!" Patrick darted out the door, followed by Edith. She was so glad to have her one and only playmate back. Being the middle child meant she was often ignored by her parents and siblings alike. And the governess, Miss Law, didn't count as a friend.

Patrick was going towards the stables. "I'll be Captain Pat and you can be Captain Eddie."

"Why can't I be Captain Edith?"

"Girls can't be elephant tamers, silly. You have to pretend you're a boy." Edith nodded. She was used to playing male roles, and liked it. Miss Law had been telling her how to "be a lady" for this past year. It was nice to have a break.

The pair reached the stables. "We're not going to tame horses, are we Patrick?"

"Captain Pat," the boy corrected.

"Right. Are we, Captain Pat?"

"Why not?"

Edith nearly jumped. "They're so…big."

"Real elephants are bigger," Patrick protested.

Edith shook her head. "Horses can trample you alive and I don't want to get trampled."

Patrick sighed. "Well, what about the dogs?" When Edith made no objection, he headed in the direction of where Lord Grantham's hunting hounds were kept.

On their way there, the Captains encountered Miss Law and a two-year-old Sybil Crawley.

"Edee!" Sybil squealed, trying to speak to her sister. "Edee! I see da dogs!"

"We've been to see the hounds," Miss Law said, smiling at her youngest charge.

"They are not hounds, ma'am," Patrick explained, donning a "man voice." "They are wild beasts! Elephants, to be exact. Are they not, Captain Eddie?"

Edith saluted and tried to speak like a man as well. "Oh, yes, they are, Captain Pat. And we are here to tame them."

"Well, mind you don't get your dress too dirty, Lady Edith. And don't go running about too much. Half-an-hour, and I'll call you inside," Miss Law said firmly before leading Sybil away.

"Yes, Miss Law," Edith called after her.

"Have you your taming gear Captain Eddie?" Captain Pat asked his companion.

"Yes, sir!" She bit her lip and whispered, "What is that exactly?"

"It's your imaginary elephant whip," Patrick whispered back.

"Right." Captain Eddie pulled herself up to full height. "Shall we tame the wild beasts, Captain Pat?"

Captain Pat pulled out an imaginary whip. "We shall!" With that, the pair entered the room of the hounds, which was basically just a large horse stall. Jipper was the friendliest dog, and ran right up to the familiar smell of Edith and Patrick.

"Down, you beast!" Captain Pat called, leaping into action. He swatted Jipper's wagging tail. "You grab him, Captain Eddie, and I'll distract him!"

"Yes, sir!" Edith was a little unsure as to how to grab a dog, but Captain Eddie had done this a million times. Jipper was turning in circles, desperately trying to find out what kept hitting his tail. Captain Eddie grabbed his hind legs.

"I got him! I got him!"

"Good, now drag him out!" Captain Pat ordered. Captain Eddie did as s/he was told, and Captain Pat shut the stall door. Jipper was not best pleased at any of this, but when Edith let go he relaxed and faced Patrick for a petting.

"Now how do we tame it?" Captain Eddie asked

Captain Pat smirked. "Watch and learn." He faced his imaginary whip toward the elephant. "SIT!" Jipper obeyed, happily expecting a petting and a 'good boy.'

"That looks very easy," Captain Eddie remarked. S/he tried another command. "LIE DOWN!" Jipper lied down. Now he wanted a biscuit, at least.

"Lady Edith! Patrick!" a deep voice bellowed. The Captains turned to see Mr. Carson, staring them down. "Her Ladyship instructs you both to come inside and wash yourselves for luncheon."

"Miss Law said half-an-hour!" Edith complained.

"Her Ladyship said now," Mr. Carson stated again.

"Well, come along Captain Eddie," Captain Pat said. "We deserve some luncheon after taming this wild elephant!"

"Indeed," Captain Eddie agreed.

"Wild elephant?" Carson echoed.

"See how well we have tamed it, Carson," Captain Pat said, confidently walking toward Carson and instructing, "COME!" Jipper quickly obeyed, wondering when he was to get his reward. Carson rolled his eyes and led the seven-year-olds and their "elephant" inside.

The first person the group met was nine year old Mary. "Edith, your dress is covered in hay and mud. You need to change."

"Captain Eddie has been out taming a wild elephant!" Captain Pat informed the ignorant lady.

Mary scoffed. "That's a dog. Papa won't like that you let it in the house."

"He keeps Pharaoh inside!" Edith protested.

"Look at the state of you two!" Lady Grantham said, walking into the hall from some other room.

Captain Pat bowed. "M'lady." Captain Eddie mirrored him. "We've just returned from the scorching jungles of India and are quite in need of some luncheon."

Lady Grantham smiled at her cousin/heir/whatever. "Of course, Patrick. After you wash up. And Edith, do have Miss Law change your dress."

"What about the elephant?" Captain Eddie asked, motioning to the animal at her side.

"I'll have Carson bring it back to the stables." With that, the cousins scurried off to obey Lady Grantham's orders.

"You ought to control her, Mama," Mary said with disdain in her voice. "I never went playing with stable dogs at age seven."

"No, you were rolling on the hills." Lady Grantham smiled at her eldest daughter, who was put out by this remark and stormed off. There was some truth to Mary's words, though. She didn't try to control Edith much. To be quite honest, she had forgotten about Edith today, until Mr. Crawley said she was out playing with Patrick.

Yes, it certainly was a good thing the Crawley cousins were back.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**: In the last chapter, I made sybil five years younger than Edith, but after rewatching the some of the series I realize she's probably only two years younger. So, sybil has miraculously grown an extra three years and is eleven at the beginning of this chapter.

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><p>"Of course, we must be reasonable," Lord Grantham said to his cousin James, recently returned from Paris. "It appears Cora and I will not produce a son, and thus you shall be heir of Downton."<p>

"And you are thinking of Patrick eventually marrying one of the girls to sort of...make up for it." At hearing James's response, thirteen-year-old Edith headed towards the library in search of Patrick.

"Precisely. Unless you want a go at them."

James chuckled. "You know I married Penelope and Penelope only, even if she is dead. And Patrick is more their age." Edith entered the library, unseen as usual. James continued, "Mary, Edith, or Sybil?" Silently, Edith wondered why Papa had the say in who Patrick married. Shouldn't Patrick choose? He deserved to be happy, with whomever that may concern. Even if it wasn't a Crawley sister. There were far richer (and better-tempered) women in England. The Crawleys travelled so much that he could even marry a foreigner. Although Granny wouldn't approve.

"Mary is the eldest; we mustn't forget that," Lord Grantham said. "She has just figured out that this estate will not be hers. I told her she would have to marry you or Patrick to stay here, and she said, 'Well, Patrick is nice enough.'" Edith winced at her father's words. Mary hardly ever talked to Patrick. At fifteen, she thought herself above the games Edith and Patrick played. Well, she never had played with them at all.

"Edith seems to pay him a great deal of attention," James said, bringing Edith back to the present. She silently cheered James on. She certainly wouldn't mind be married to Patrick. They got on so well. He actually listened to her and seemed to like her.

"And Sybil's only eleven and my baby, which leaves her out of the running." Her father's comment made Edith wince once again. Wasn't she his baby, too? Wasn't Mary? "Does Patrick mention a preference?"

"He's only thirteen."

"So it's probably good we mention to him now which one we want him to marry." While James pondered this, Lord Grantham added, "I'm for Mary. It's been a hope of mine ever since the little boy was born."

"I guess it's settled then." James said more, but Edith didn't hear him. She was running outside. Mary marrying Patrick was the most repulsive idea she had ever heard.

…

"I want to cut my hair," Edith announced suddenly to Patrick as the pair rambled the gardens.

"Why?" Patrick asked, eyeing Edith's golden locks that fell somewhere in the middle of her back.

"It's so difficult and hot. It was shorter when I was younger and it wasn't as much bother then."

"Cousin Cora will hate you for it." Patrick pointed out. "It isn't at all the style in France."

"I'm not out yet. It doesn't matter so much. Mama always fusses more over Mary anyway." Edith spat out the word Mary with a newfound hatred.

Patrick didn't seem to notice. "You know…" He stopped walking as he thought. "Papa and I stayed with a hairdresser in Paris for three years. I bet I could cut it."

Edith's eyes lit up and she smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that." She pulled out a pair of scissors from up her sleeve.

Patrick laughed. "Oh, Eddie. You're always scheming, aren't you?" Edith merely smiled, handed the scissors to Patrick, and sat on a nearby bench.

Patrick stood behind her and started to run his fingers through her hair. "How short?"

"Chin length, I think," Edith responded, shutting her eyes. It felt quite good when Patrick had his fingers in her hair.

"This might come out uneven," Patrick said after cutting a few clumps of hair off.

"The new ladies' maid can fix it," Edith replied, unfazed.

"You have a ladies' maid? I thought you said you weren't out." _Snip, snip._

"Well, she's also the head housemaid. Mama just has her as a temporary ladies' maid for Mary." _Snip, snip._ "Mary gets everything. I even heard Papa say she was going to marry you."

"Marry me?" Patrick exclaimed, "I'm only thirteen!" _Snip, snip._

"Not now, obviously. Once you come of age." _Snip, snip._ "It has to do with the fact that Cousin James is getting Downton Abbey when Papa dies." Edith paused. "It's so unfair!"

"Unfair? Why?" _Snip, snip._

"Mary is so uncivil to you. You deserve a better wife than her." _Snip, snip._

"Someone like you?" Patrick took Edith's silence for a yes. "I don't know. I guess Mary would be alright." _Snip, snip._ "Marriage is like a job. You want one that makes you rich, not necessarily happy. And Mary isn't entirely evil or bad-looking." _Snip, snip. _"You'd gain me as a brother. I think that would work rather well, don't you?"

"I think you should choose for yourself rather than letting Papa and Cousin James choose for you."

"Papa asks so little of me that I couldn't disobey him when he does expect something of me. And this isn't altogether a bad or dishonest thing." _Snip, snip._

"Doesn't ask much of you?" Edith echoed, surprised. "He totes you off to the far corners of the world all the time without asking your opinion and still expects you to behave like a proper gentleman!" She shook her head.

"Keep your head still," Patrick instructed. _Snip, snip. _"And it's not so very bad. I've been travelling all my life; I'm used to it now."

"I still don't see why you should marry Mary," Edith muttered.

"Well, I'll have time to consider it. Papa says we'll be going to Africa in about a year."

"How long this time?" Another absence? Another three years of loneliness and boredom?

"He's not sure." Patrick paused and came around the bench. "Stand up." Edith obeyed. She shook her head playfully; wonderfully pleased with the newfound freedom of her short hair. "That did come out nice," Patrick said. "If I do say so myself."

"Oh, thank you Pat!" Edith exclaimed, impulsively hugging him. She quickly broke away. She was not a child anymore, and hugging men was something she was not allowed to do. And it felt…strange somehow.

"No matter," Patrick said, smiling back at her. "What is the matter is what are we going to do with all your hair?" He pointed to the bench where he had placed all of Edith's cut hair.

"I don't know," Edith said, walking over to the bench. She picked up a chunk of the golden stuff, and an idea popped into her head. "Would you like some?" Patrick laughed, but before he could respond, Lord Grantham happened upon them.

"Edith! What happened to your hair?"

Patrick shot a sideways glance at Edith. "Race you to the dock, Eddie!" And with that, the two were off, leaving Lord Grantham completely dumbfounded.

…

"So you're going to be off to Africa," Edith remarked to Patrick, who was standing in the hall.

Patrick nodded. "Papa is saying goodbye to Cousin Robert now."

Edith fully entered the hall and smiled playfully. "Will you write to me about all your adventures, Captain Pat?"

Patrick assumed a military stance. "I most certainly will, Captain Eddie!" Edith giggled, but was interrupted by Mary, who appeared in the hall in her usual cold manner.

"Cousin Patrick."

Patrick bowed slightly. "Cousin Mary."

"I hope you will not be away for too long."

He shrugged. "Papa does not know." There was an awkward pause. "I shall write to you, if you like."

"That would be nice. We are to be married, after all." Edith stared at her older sister with a look of contempt. She was prevented from saying anything demeaning by James entering and declaring that he and Patrick would quite miss the train if they were not to leave soon.

"Good bye, Eddie," Patrick said, hugging Edith. He moved toward Mary. "Mary." He moved to hug her as well, but instead she stuck out her hand. He shook it. Edith caught his eye. _See. Mary is so cold and so undeserving of you._ He shrugged as he let go of Mary's hand. _It's what I have to do._


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**: Thanks for reading thus far! I got a little more romantic and serious in this chapter. *crosses fingers that it turned out okay*

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><p>Edith sat on a chair by the window, trying not to look impatient. Cousin Patrick was returning after a four year absence. <em>He's eighteen now, <em>Edith kept reminding herself. _A man. Not a carefree boy who likes to play with me. _

She had been going over the contents of his letters that morning. They had kept the same tone throughout the years; happy and light, except when speaking of Mary or the death of some tribal elder. He always spoke of Edith with affection, child-like though it was. He related all his adventures and misadventures. Edith had a good laugh over some of them – she did always like Patrick's sense of humor.

There was one thing she had noticed, though. He would not waver in his idea that he must marry Mary. Marriage was a job, something you must do, and Edith knew this. But Mary was all wrong for Patrick. You can't spend your entire life with a person who can barely stand you. There must be someone better.

"Mr. Crawley and Mr. Patrick, m'lord," Carson announced from the sitting room door. Edith quickly stood up and snapped her head around. Her heart pumped a little harder at the sight of him. Partly from excitement, partly from the fact he had grown so much. And grown handsome. His hair was darker than she remembered, much thicker, and cut shorter. His eyes were the same shining blue. He had gotten more muscular…_Stop being silly, Edith._

"James! So good to see you!" Lord Grantham said in greeting.

"The pleasure is mine," James returned, walking over to his cousin.

"And this handsome young man isn't Patrick, surely."

_Even Papa notices,_ Edith added to herself. _And Papa never notices anything. So I'm not just being silly._

Patrick smiled at the praise. "But it is me, Cousin Robert." Edith found her breath catching in her throat. His voice had gotten deeper and fuller and much more…attractive. Out of the corner of her eye, Edith saw Mary's head jerk up. "It's always good to see my cousins again." Patrick scanned the room, his eyes resting on Mary. They smiled at each other.

Edith felt jealousy rising within her. Again. She certainly was no stranger to the emotion, being the ignored, ugly, middle child (as she was often reminded by Mary) that she was. But this time it felt different. Mary wasn't sewing better, dancing better, getting new frocks, or anything of that nature. She was taking Edith's only friend away from her.

"I'm glad to see you've returned from Africa unscathed, Mr. Patrick," Mary said in the flirtatious manner she used in London. "Papa has told me horror stories of the lions and snakes."

"Yes, well, we had wonderful friends who steered us away from those sorts of things."

"Ah," James interjected. "But we did see several lions on our safaris."

"You went on safaris?" Sybil said, with an eagerness that befitted her.

"Several safaris, actually…" As James rambled about his time in Africa, Patrick talked to Mary. Lord Grantham looked on with pleasure. Edith noted this, and went outside as soon as it was polite to do so.

…

Days went by like this. Edith spent all of her time outside, and away from Mary at all costs. This also included avoiding Patrick, but she didn't plan that. Patrick just always happened to be around Mary.

Today she walked the gardens, and ended up sitting on a wooden bench beside a large tree. _Mary is so terribly horrid…_ Her thoughts began. Her brain abruptly defended her sister. _It's not her fault she's drop dead gorgeous and you are a lump of butter...No wonder Patrick prefers her…Does he?...I can't – _

"Captain Eddie." Edith had been so wound up in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed Patrick was standing in front of her, with a mocking salute.

Edith smiled genuinely and returned the salute. "Captain Pat."

Patrick sat down next to her. "You've been avoiding me all of my stay here, Cousin Eddie. What's the matter?" Edith merely turned her head away and looked at the grass. "Thoroughly sick of young men after your first season last June?"

Edith giggled a little and looked up. "Certainly not sick of you. I haven't seen you for four years! And the London men are boring old things."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"It's because of Mary," Edith confessed quickly. She didn't even know what possessed her to say it, and she immediately looked away.

Patrick instantly sobered. "What about Mary?" Edith didn't answer. "Is it because I'm going to marry her?" Edith still didn't answer. Patrick sighed. Since when was talking to Edith so difficult? "Look, Eddie, you're going to have to help me out here."

Edith took a deep breath before replying. "Mary always got everything before, but now she's got you, too."

"You make it sound as though she had killed me."

"Just trapped you," Edith said. "Trapped you in her beauty, money, and just plain cold heart."

Patrick paused and pondered this. "I don't think she's really trapped me," he said slowly. "I don't want to marry her…"

"Then don't!" Edith said, nearing tears. "You and your blasted sense of duty!" She looked away and silently cried, letting out all her confused feelings.

Patrick looked on for a moment, debating as to what he should do. Something inside him told him to put his arm around Edith. So he did.

Edith didn't even think about what she was doing; she turned into him, putting her face into his chest. It seemed natural to her.

Patrick still didn't quite know what to do with a discontented female. He gave her a soft kiss on the head, still going on what his gut told him to do. _You blasted fool. She's going to think you're a rogue._

Edith thought nothing of the kind. She looked up at him pitifully. "See? You love me," she practically whispered.

Patrick began to realize the truth in what his cousin was saying. It had always been Edith that had made him smile. Edith's letters he would look forward to with anticipation. He would hear something and think of what Edith might say about it. Previously, he had attributed this to a friendship. Holding her in this way, something sparked inside him that told him this was love. He had just never known it before.

"Oh, Eddie," Patrick said, still comprehending it all. His newfound feelings were taking over his brain. Somewhere in there was a warning bell, but he ignored it. Instead, he followed his feelings and kissed Edith  
>soundly on the lips.<p>

That certainly had not been what Edith was expecting. She didn't mind in the least. _He does love me! He does love me! _her mind was screaming. Her hands slowly went to his face and around to his neck.

Patrick broke the kiss, because his rational brain was taking over once again. It made no difference if he loved Edith or not, he had to marry Mary. It's what he had to do. Or did he?

"If I can find a way to get out of this business with Mary, I will," he said softly.

"You can just not propose to her." Patrick bit his lip. Edith stared, worried. "What is it?"

He smiled sadly. "Too late." Edith still stared. "It's not anything official, but I asked if she would be interested in marriage."

"And she said yes," Edith finished.

Patrick nodded. "But Papa and I are going to America in a few months. I'll think of something."

"And I'll do everything possible to throw eligible young men in her way; not that that should be too hard." Patrick chuckled somewhat at this, and Edith found herself more attracted to him than ever.

They talked for a long while, and Mary accosted them when they got back. Patrick made some childish excuse, which Mary pretended to believe. This was mainly because of Edith smiling away, and if Mary wasn't mistaken, her cheeks were redder than usual.

Edith merely went to her room and thought up plans as to how to have Patrick marry her without disappointing anyone. Not that it mattered to her if they disappointed anyone. She soon found this planning fruitless, and instead thought of how much she would enjoy the coming months.


End file.
